Super Bowl ticket scam busted, two arrested says DA
NEW YORK - Two men were arrested in the Queens borough of New York City Monday for allegedly selling fake Super Bowl tickets, reports CBS New York.
Damon Daniels, 43, of the Bronx, and Eugene Fladger, 32, of Philadelphia, are accused of selling bogus Super Bowl tickets as well as parking passes for MetLife stadium, tickets to the NFL Commissioner’s party at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel and tickets to another party at Radio City Music Hall, CBS New York’s radio affiliate 1010 WINS reports.
Previously , they also allegedly sold bogus NFL playoff tickets to games in Boston and Philadelphia.
The NFL got wind of the alleged scam in November and referred the case to the NYPD for investigation, the station reports.
“These two criminals conspired to produce and distribute high quality counterfeit tickets for various events including the Super Bowl and peddled them not only on the streets of New York City but also on the internet and across the country,” said New York City Police Commissioner Bill Bratton.
Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said the two men used “state-of-the art equipment” to manufacture the tickets and created a “security nightmare” for the NFL as well as local, state and federal law enforcement agencies handling security at the Super Bowl.
“…Individuals who bought tickets or passes through the Internet may be in for a rude awakening on game day,” Brown said.
Investigators reportedly found the pair’s “base of operation” at the home of Daniels’ girlfriend. They say they recovered a computer, printer and photo paper.
The fake tickets allegedly manufactured by the pair included the official NFL logo and a bar code effective enough to get past scanners, 1010 WINS reported.
Some of the tickets were reportedly being sold for $300 each, substantially less than what the secondary market is bringing. The duo allegedly offered a deal if customers bought packages with the fake parking passes and party tickets, too.
Both men are charged with trademark counterfeiting and possession of a forged instrument.
Super Bowl XLVIII between the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks is scheduled for Feb. 2 in East Rutherford, N.J.